Hinge construction



c. B. FRITSCHE 2,806,477

HINGE CONSTRUCTION Sept. 17, 1957 Filed May 3, 1954 Z5 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 7, 1957 c. B. FRITSCHE 2,806,477

' HINGE CONSTRUCTION Filed May :5, 1954 I :5 Sheets-Sheet z INVENTOR. I/ III/Il/lI/Z v car/Z jzljfsc/k Sept. 17, 1957 c. a. FRITSCHE HINGE CONSTRUCTION Filed May 3, 1954 RBW Y 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Uni ed S a Paw O 2,806,477, nmon CONSTRUCTION I Carl B. Fritsche, Fairfax County, Va. Application may a, 1954, Serial No. 427,027

1 Claim. (Cl. 135-4 I My invention relates to hinge constructions and in particular to a hinge construction for the conoid endsof shelter constructions such as shown in my copending applications, Serial No.- 293,784, filed June 16, 1952, and Serial No. 378,065,,filed September 2, 1953.

The shelter construction of my copending applications is collapsible and, in preferred form, includes a series of longitudinally spaced, semi-circular arches which are joined together by flexible material, such as canvas. Thistype of shelter may be used to store large items such as military vehicles or weapons and in order to move them into or out of the shelter an end of the shelter is opened.

The ends of the shelter are of a shape which I refer to as colloid and include a series of arches disposed at various .angles to the vertical. In accordance with my inventionI provide common footings for these arches which permits them to be angularly moved so as to elevate or lower the conoid end. The footings rigidly hold them in place so that the shelter can maintain structural integrity despite extremely adverse weather conditions such as encountered in the Arctic regions.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a part of a shelter with the conoid end down;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a part of the shelter with the conoid end up;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the footing or hinge construction with parts exploded and as viewed from point 3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the hinge footing with parts in section and in phantom;

Fig. 5 is a section along line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a section through the double pivot, being similar to the section of Fig. 5.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the structure shown therein is described in much more detail and claimed in my aforementioned copending applications. Briefly, the shelter construction that is illustrated comprises a series of longitudinally spaced, parallel, semicircular arches 3. These are preferably provided with hinges so that they can be folded up into a collapsed condition. The arches in the main and central portion of the shelter are vertical while the arches at the opposite ends of the shelter radiate from common footings 5 and extend at an angle to the vertical, the last of the arches 7 lying on the ground in a horizontal position when the end of the shelter is closed.

Suspended from the inside or concave edges of the arches is flexible material 9 which is preferably provided with a welt 11 that fits in a recess 13 which opens through slot 15 from the bottom of each arch, the welt extending along the entire length of each arch. The arches are held in spaced rigid condition by adjustable length purlins 17 of the type shown in my copending application, Serial No. 378,065.

When it is desired to take down and collapse the shelter the purlins 17 are removed, the arches are compressed 2,806,477 Patented Sept. 17, 1957 ICC together in accordion fashion and then, if desired, and if hinges are provided, the arches themselves may be folded into shorter lengths, all this being permitted by the flexible material 9.

These shelters are very well adapted for the rugged conditions encountered in military operations. They are also collapsible and portable so that they can be moved in accordance with military plans. These shelters can also be quickly erected or taken down by persons having little or no experience with them. 7

One of the important purposes for which shelters of this type are used is to house vehicles such as tanks,

trucks, or to house large equipment. In order .to permit such vehicles, equipment, etc. to be readily moved into and out of this shelter, I provide a large opening at either end by arranging the angularly disposed arches for pivotal movement upwardly to lift the last arch 7 to a suitable.

vertical position as shown in Fig. 2, thereby providing a large opening through which vehicles can be driven or equipment moved into and out of the shelter. I refer to the ends of the shelter as conoid.

The conoid ends comprise the last arch 7, the next to the last arch 19, intermediate angularly disposed arches 21 and 22, and a vertical arch 23 which actually com-- prises two arches clamped together. The adjustable length purlins 17 between the arches 7 and 19 may be left there during elevation of the end asshown in Fig. 2. A suitable pulley and rope construction may be used to provide a lifting mechanism for pulling up the arch 7 and collapsing the conoid end, elements thereof being identified by thereference numeral 27. i

According to my invention in its preferred form, I mount the arches 7, 19, 21, 22, and 23 on common footings 5 on each side of the tent. This footing and the parts associated therewith are constructed so as to maintain the double arch 23 continuously in a vertical position while permitting the arches 7, 19, 21, and 22 to be pivoted up or down about horizontal transverse axes through the footings.

As seen best in Figs. 3 and 4, the footing 5 is preferably a casting having a flat bottom plate portion 29. This is provided with cleats 31 that can be pressed into the ground or ice to fix the footing against shifting. In order to further anchor the footing I preferably cast three bosses 33 on the bottom plate 29 and they are provided with slanting triangular openings 35 which receive correspondingly shaped stakes that are driven into the ground and which, it will be seen, will effectively hold the footing 5 in place on the ground. Openings 39 adjacent the inside edge of the plate 29 may be provided on each of the footings to receive a ground cable 40 running transversely across the shelter from one footing to the other.

The bottom ends of the double arch 23 are received in a three-sided pocket 41 that is provided by upright walls 43 cast vertically in the footing to extend up from the base 29, the walls being arranged to have an open side 45 through which the ends of the double arch 23 can be inserted. Suitable ribs 47 are provided to strengthen the casting and holes 49 in opposite walls 43 of the pocket 41 receive a bolt and nut assembly 51 for rigidly clamping the bottom ends of the arch to the footing 5.

The two intermediate arches 21 and 22 are hinged to the footing 5 by similar fittings 53 such as shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 5. The fittings 53 has a portion 55 that closely fits inside the recess 57 in the arch 21 or 22, it being noted that the arches are constructed in accordance with my first filed copending application. Preferably a pair of holes 59 and 60 extend through a fitting portion 55 and register with aligned holes in the side walls of the arches so that nut and bolt assemblies 61 can extend through them to rigidly clamp the ends of the arches to the fittings. The portion of the fitting 53 outside of the archis provided with a bearing aperture 63 and is snugly received between vertical bearing standards 65 or 66 that are cast onthe footing to extend upwardly from the bottom plate 29. The standards have bearing apertures 67 and these apertures along with the openings 63 may be suitably bushed or otherwise treated tornini'rnize friction and provide for easy pivoting. The space between the standards 65 and 66 is open to provide clearance, for the arches as they tilt, though for purposes of strength the standards may be joined together by a vertical web 65'. The opening 63 in each fitting 53 will be aligned with the bearing openings 67 and a suitable bearing pin 68 projected through them to pivotally secure the arches 21 and 22 to the footings 5.

The last arch 7 and the next to the last arch 19 are preferably mounted on the footing by means of a common' fitting or pivot casting 71 which is similar in principle to the fitting 53. Thus, the fitting 71 has two projecting portions 73 and 75, the projection 73 fitting in the end of the last arch 7 and the projection 75 fitting in the end of the next to the last arch 19. Each of the projections is provided with double openings 79 which align with openings in the side walls of the arches so that nut and bolt assemblies 81 may be passed through them to rigidly secure the arches to the fitting 71. The end of the fitting 71 outside of the arches has a bearing aperture 83 and this is aligned with bearing apertures 85 in vertical standards 87 that are cast on the footing in alignment with standards 66 and preferably connected to them by webs 89. A suitable bearing pin 90 will extend through the openings 83 and 85 to pivotally connect the fitting 71 and the arches 7 and 19 to the footing.

It will be seen that by means of the pair of footings 5 one at each end of the arches comprising the conoid end,

the double arch 23 will be held rigidly in place at all times. On the other hand, the angular arches 21, 22,19, and 7 can all be pivoted about the three pivot axes provided by the pins extending through standards 65, 66, and 87. Thus, by means of a suitable pulley arrangement 27 the pivoted arches can be raised or lowered to provide a large opening at the end of the shelter or to close this opening. When closed, suitable tiedowns can be provided for the last arch 7 to prevent it from being moved by heavy winds. The footings 5 are such that the arches are rigidly mounted and able to resist severe weather conditions without being rendered inoperative.

It will be apparent that deviations from the structure shown and described herein are within the spirit and scope of the claim.

I claim:

A footing for arches comprising a plate having cleats projecting from the bottom thereof, triangularly shaped stake holes extending through the plate at an oblique angle to the bottom thereof, an upright arch socket on the plate open on a side normal to the plate, and pairs of upright standards on the plate having pairs of aligned.

apertures for hinge connection to the ends of arches. 

